Includes bibliographical references (p. 203-212) and index
National security: the genesis of U.S. involvement in the Middle East -- Into the middle of a fight: the United States and the Arab-Israeli conflict to 1961 -- Tumultuous decades: nationalism and counterrevolution, 1950s-1960s -- Unending controversy: the Arab-Israeli conflict, 1961-1982 -- Revolution, war, and terrorism: the Middle East at center stage, 1970s-1980s -- Peace process: the U.S. approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict, 1982-2005 -- Messy little wars: U.S. operations in the Middle East since 1990 -- Conclusion -- Appendix of documents